Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2008

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 163, NWS Atlanta, GA

April 4, 2008Houston County, Peach County, Georgia

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 4, 2008, 8:29 PM EDT for Houston County, Peach County, Georgia. It was in force for 27 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Apr 4, 2008, 8:29 PM EDT (00:29 UTC)
Expired: Apr 4, 2008, 8:56 PM EDT
In force: 27 min
Issued by: NWS Atlanta, GA
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Houston County, GA, Peach County, GA

The radar

The Robins AFB radar (KJGX), 46 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:29 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Apr 4, 8:45 PM EDT	HAIL 0.75	2 N Robins Afb, GA

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 4, 2:27 PM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 0.5 hours before the alert went out and 118 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 105 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -88 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 728 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -98 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 37 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: -0.0
Supercell composite: -0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WUUS52 KFFC 050029
SVRFFC
GAC153-225-050115-
/O.NEW.KFFC.SV.W.0163.080405T0029Z-080405T0115Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
829 PM EDT FRI APR 4 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEACHTREE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  HOUSTON COUNTY IN CENTRAL GEORGIA
  PEACH COUNTY IN CENTRAL GEORGIA

* UNTIL 915 PM EDT

* AT 826 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZED HAIL...AND
  DAMAGING WINDS UP TO 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 6 MILES WEST
  OF PERRY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 38 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO FORT
  VALLEY...POWERSVILLE...BYRON...BONAIRE...CENTERVILLE...WARNER
  ROBINS AND ROBINS AFB.

IN ADDITION TO LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...FREQUENT CLOUD TO 
GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS 
IMMEDIATELY LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES NUMBER ONE KILLERS. 
REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE 
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT FRIDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL
100 AM EDT SATURDAY MORNING FOR WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA.

IF YOU SEE WIND DAMAGE...LARGE HAIL OR SIGNIFICANT FLOODING...WAIT
UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED...AND THEN CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE TOLL FREE AT 1 8 6 6 7 6 3 4 4 6 6.

LAT...LON 3237 8385 3238 8383 3246 8385 3248 8389
      3247 8391 3250 8392 3252 8397 3269 8372
      3266 8359 3261 8353 3254 8353 3230 8380
TIME...MOT...LOC 0029Z 229DEG 33KT 3247 8382

$$

1 follow-up statement

000 
WWUS52 KFFC 050056
SVSFFC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
855 PM EDT FRI APR 4 2008

GAC153-225-050105-
/O.CAN.KFFC.SV.W.0163.000000T0000Z-080405T0115Z/
HOUSTON GA-PEACH GA-
855 PM EDT FRI APR 4 2008

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR PEACH AND HOUSTON COUNTIES IS
CANCELLED...

THE THUNDERSTORM HAS WEAKENED AND IS NO LONGER EXPECTED TO PRODUCE 
SEVERE WEATHER. HOWEVER...STRONG GUSTY WINDS UP TO 45 MPH...VERY 
HEAVY RAIN...AND SMALL HAIL ARE STILL POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM AS IT 
MOVES INTO BIBB AND TWIGGS COUNTIES.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT FRIDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHERN GEORGIA.

IF YOU SEE WIND DAMAGE...LARGE HAIL OR SIGNIFICANT FLOODING...WAIT
UNTIL AFTER THE STORM HAS PASSED...AND THEN CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE TOLL FREE AT 1 8 6 6 7 6 3 4 4 6 6.

LAT...LON 3237 8385 3238 8383 3246 8385 3248 8389
      3247 8391 3250 8392 3252 8397 3269 8372
      3266 8359 3261 8353 3254 8353 3230 8380
TIME...MOT...LOC 0055Z 229DEG 33KT 3263 8361

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Atlanta, GA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Apr 4, 6:45 PM EDT, 1 hour 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 4, 6:45 PM EDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
645 PM EDT FRI APR 4 2008

.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
CURRENT SATELLITE LOOP SHOWS CLOUDS BREAKING UP AS THE WEDGE BREAKS
FROM SW TO NE. TEMPS AND DEWPOINTS ARE ON THE RISE WITH INCREASED
MOIST SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALONG WITH A RATHER ACTIVE LINE OF STORMS
MOVING EAST OUT OF AL. WE ARE CURRENTLY UNDER A TORNADO WATCH FOR
ALL OF NORTH GA AND PORTIONS OF CENTRAL. A MODERATELY UNSTABLE
AIRMASS CONTINUES TO SPREAD NORTHEASTWARD INTO THE STATE THIS
AFTERNOON. ALSO SHEAR PROFILES ARE INCREASING ACROSS AL/GA.
EXPECTING THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE IN NUMBER AND INTENSITY
THROUGH TONIGHT. TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL
BE POSSIBLE WITH SEVERE STORM DEVELOPMENT. THE WEDGE THAT HAS BEEN
OVER MOST OF THE STATE FOR THE PAST 24 HOURS IS ERODING FAST AND
ALLOWING INCREASED AREAS OF INSTABILITY TO DEVELOP. CURRENTLY
CAPES ARE IN THE 1000-1500 RANGE WITH LIFTED INDICES AROUND -3 TO
-5. THE ACTUAL COLD FRONT DOES NOT MOVE INTO NW GA UNTIL AFTER 00Z
SAT. A WAVE ALONG THE FRONT PUSHES NE OUT OF THE GULF SAT MORNING
AND IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP INTO A CLOSED LOW CENTER OVER CENTRAL
GA BY 18Z SAT. THIS WAVE WILL BRING INCREASED MOISTURE WITH IT AND
SLOW THE EASTERLY MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT. LOOKING FOR A 2 DAY QPF
TOTAL OF 1 TO 2.5 INCHES OF MUCH NEEDED PRECIP ACROSS NORTH AND
CENTRAL GA. THE FRONT IN EXPECTED TO BE EAST OF THE AREA BY 00Z SUN.
HIGH PRESSURE BUILD IN FROM THE NORTH FOR SUN AND SHOULD KEEP MOST OF
THE AREA PRECIPITATION FREE THROUGH SUN EVENING. ANOTHER WAVE MOVES
NE OUT OF THE CENTRAL GULF SUN AFTERNOON BRINGING ANOTHER SHOT OF
PRECIP TO SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST PORTIONS OF THE STATE SUN EVENING
THROUGH MON MORNING.

.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
AFTER MONDAY THE WEATHER PATTERN IS NOT WELL DEFINED THROUGH DAY 7.
MODELS KEEP A WEAK NOSE OF HIGH PRESSURE IN ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH
MOST OF NEXT WEEK. AT THE SAME TIME THE MODELS ARE SHOWING A
WEAKENING FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVING EAST OUT OF THE TN VALLEY TUE NIGHT
AND INTO GA WED. INCREASED MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM
CALLS FOR AT LEAST A SLIGHT CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION. THIS FRONT
NEVER EXITS THE AREA AS IT LOOKS LIKE IT STALLS ACROSS NORTH GA
ALLOWING FOR WAVES TO TRAIN ALONG IT. WILL CONTINUE WITH EARLIER
THINKING AND KEEP SLIGHT AND CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH
DAY 7

&&

.AVIATION...
NUMEROUS STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN THE VICINITY OF THE LOCAL TERMINALS
AT THIS MOMENT...AND WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE NORTH GEORGIA
THOUGH AT LEAST MIDNIGHT. CONSIDERABLE INSTABILITY WILL LINGER NEAR
CSG/MCN WELL INTO THE OVERNIGHT...KEEPING THUNDERSTORMS IN THAT AREA
THROUGH MORNING. CEILINGS/VIS ARE GOING TO BE CHAOTIC...VARYING
BETWEEN IFR/MFVR THROUGH THE PERIOD. WINDS SHOULD REMAIN SOUTHWEST
UNTIL FROPA SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

RRH

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
ATHENS          59  67  49  74  52 /  70 100  20  10  20
ATLANTA         59  63  51  74  56 /  70 100  10  10  10
BLAIRSVILLE     56  62  43  72  47 / 100  80  10  10  10
CARTERSVILLE    56  62  44  75  52 /  90  90  10  10  10
COLUMBUS        66  73  53  79  57 /  70 100  10  20  20
GAINESVILLE     55  62  48  73  51 /  90 100  10  10  10
MACON           62  72  51  78  58 /  50  90  20  20  20
ROME            60  66  46  78  53 / 100  70  10  10  10
PEACHTREE CITY  60  65  46  75  53 /  70 100   5  10  10
VIDALIA         64  76  57  77  58 /  40  80  50  30  40

&&

.FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&

01

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 4, 6:58 PM EDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
658 PM EDT FRI APR 04 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0644 PM     HAIL             3 W LUTHERSVILLE        33.21N 84.80W
04/04/2008  E0.75 INCH       MERIWETHER         GA   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

MGRIESIN

Local storm report, Apr 4, 7:18 PM EDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
718 PM EDT FRI APR 04 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0710 PM     HAIL             4 S SENOIA              33.25N 84.55W
04/04/2008  E0.75 INCH       COWETA             GA   TRAINED SPOTTER

0633 PM     HAIL             8 NE LA GRANGE          33.12N 84.94W
04/04/2008  E0.88 INCH       TROUP              GA   PUBLIC

&&

MGRIESIN

Local storm report, Apr 4, 7:22 PM EDT, 1 hour 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
722 PM EDT FRI APR 04 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0522 PM     HAIL             3 NW TALLAPOOSA         33.78N 85.33W
04/04/2008  E0.75 INCH       HARALSON           GA   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

MGRIESIN

Special weather statement, Apr 4, 7:24 PM EDT, 1 hour 5 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
724 PM EDT FRI APR 4 2008

GAZ080-091>093-103>105-050015-
724 PM EDT FRI APR 4 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR PEA SIZED HAIL...WIND GUSTS TO 40
MPH...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN
SUMTER...WEBSTER...SCHLEY...TAYLOR...MACON...MARION AND DOOLY
COUNTIES UNTIL 815 PM EDT...

AT 719 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING AND INCREASING IN INTENSITY AND
AERIAL COVERAGE ACROSS THESE COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF
WESTON...PRESTON...DUMAS...DRANEVILLE...PLAINS...FRIENDSHIP...PUTNAM.
..WALLS CROSSING...ELLAVILLE...AMERICUS...MURRAYS CROSSROADS...LA
CROSSE...ARLES...ANDERSONVILLE AND METHVINS. RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA
SHOULD STAY INDOORS. ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES AND TELEPHONES SHOULD NOT
BE USED UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY.

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERTS ARE ISSUED WHEN WINDS UP TO 57 MPH ARE
EXPECTED...HAIL IS EXPECTED TO BE LESS THAN THE SIZE OF PENNIES...OR
SIGNIFICANT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED.

19

Local storm report, Apr 4, 8:19 PM EDT, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
819 PM EDT FRI APR 04 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0630 PM     TSTM WND DMG     5 ENE JACKSON           33.32N 83.88W
04/04/2008                   BUTTS              GA   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN ACROSS ENGLAND CHAPEL ROAD...ONE
            TREE FELL ON A HOUSE.

0724 PM     HAIL             BUCKHEAD                33.57N 83.36W
04/04/2008  E0.88 INCH       MORGAN             GA   COUNTY OFFICIAL

&&

MGRIESIN

Special weather statement, Apr 4, 8:24 PM EDT, 5 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
824 PM EDT FRI APR 4 2008

GAZ093>095-050115-
824 PM EDT FRI APR 4 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR PEA SIZED HAIL IN EASTERN
MACON...HOUSTON AND PEACH COUNTIES UNTIL 915 PM EDT...

AT 822 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER MARSHALLVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PEA-SIZED
HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH.

CITIES AFFECTED INCLUDE MARSHALLVILLE...PERRY...AND FORT VALLEY.

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERTS ARE ISSUED WHEN WINDS UP TO 57 MPH ARE
EXPECTED...HAIL IS EXPECTED TO BE LESS THAN THE SIZE OF PENNIES...OR
SIGNIFICANT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED.

19

The office that day

Everything else NWS Atlanta, GA issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 4, 8:06 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Jasper, Morgan, Newton, Walton	39 min
Apr 4, 8:16 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Harris, Meriwether, Troup	44 min
Apr 4, 8:34 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	FFC	Harris, Meriwether, Troup	26 min
Apr 4, 8:38 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Greene, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe	52 min
Apr 4, 8:54 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Harris, Meriwether, Talbot, Troup	51 min
Apr 4, 9:05 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Greene, Oglethorpe, Taliaferro, Wilkes	40 min
Apr 4, 9:26 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Talbot, Upson	37 min
Apr 4, 9:44 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	FFC	Forsyth, Fulton	25 hr
Apr 4, 9:44 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	FFC	Clarke, Greene, Oconee	15 hr
Apr 5, 11:30 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Emanuel, Jefferson, Johnson, Treutlen	45 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Georgia, 2008 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2008

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.